1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a supporting structure for supporting a keycap of a keyswitch, and more particularly, the invention relates to a novel scissor-type supporting structure, keyswitch, and keyboard using the supporting structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A keyboard is an essential device for operating a computer. Generally, the keyboard is constituted by a plurality of keyswitches. Each keyswitch includes a base, a keycap, a supporting structure, an elastic object, and a switch. The switch is configured on the base, and the keycap is configured on the base and connected to the base through the supporting structure. The elastic object is configured between the keycap and the base, and normally above the switch.
When the keycap is pressed by a user, it moves toward the base and oppresses the elastic object to make the elastic object to trigger the switch. When the keycap is no longer pressed, the restoring force of the elastic object pushes the keycap back to the original position, and the elastic object stops triggering the switch. Besides, the supporting structure can assist the keycap to move in a predetermined range to prevent the keycap from deviating caused by pressing.
One of the popular supporting structures is the scissor-type supporting structure including two supporting members pivotally connected to each other. Please refer to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating the supporting structure 1 in the prior art, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure in the scope of the dotted line of the supporting structure 1 in FIG. 1A. The supporting structure 1 has two supporting member: the first supporting member 11 and the second supporting member 13. One terminal of the first supporting member 11 includes a first pivotal part 112 connected to the base of the keyswitch (not shown in the figures), and another terminal the first supporting member 11 includes two first connecting parts 114 and 115 connected to the keycap of the keyswitch (not shown in figures). One terminal of the second supporting member 13 includes two second pivotal parts 132 and 133 connected to the base of the keyswitch, and another terminal of the second supporting member 13 includes a second connecting part 134 connected to the keycap of the keyswitch.
Besides, the first supporting member 11 has a first arm 111 with a shaft 1110, and the second supporting member 13 has a second arm 131 with a hole 1310. When the supporting structure 1 is assembled, the shaft 1110 of the first arm 111 is aligned and pivotally connected to the hole 1310 of the second arm 131. Accordingly, the first supporting member 11 and the second supporting member 13 can rotate relative the shaft 1110 and the hole 1310, and then support the keycap to move perpendicularly to the base.
In the prior art, the assembling process must be done by hand, and the disassembling process must be done by hand too. Therefore, in the process of assembling or disassembling, the supporting structure is easily damaged by contrived force to raise the cost. On the other hand, the contrived force in assembling process may not put the shaft into the hole to cause that the first supporting member and the second supporting member could not rotate.